A&V Colony Lot

SOMETHING TO SHARE

2017-11-01: Our colony lot was put to sleep for the Winter.

⚘ A COLONIST PRAYER ⚘ Oh Lord of Springs gone by Spring blooms only memory slots, Summer flowers weeping on lots, Autumn colors soon forgots, Winter creeping into spots. Oh Lord of Springs to be My feet weigh heavily in stride, My back follows with pain denied. But weary though my body be, Please grant another Spring to me. — V. P. Stokes (Winter 2017)

OUR COLONY LOT AND US

"If you wish to be happy for a short time, get drunk. To be happy for a long time, fall in love. To be happy forever, be a colonist."

Welcome to our website — a website for a colonist (kolonist). A colony (koloni) is an allotment of a small area of land, let out at a nominal yearly rent by local government or independent allotment associations, for individuals to grow their own food, flowers, etc. The first colony in Sweden was established in the 1860's and now there are more than 26,000 ( koloni history). These colonies are divided into smaller lots (kolonilott) where one can enjoy the many pleasures of GIY (Growing It Yourself). Thirteen years ago we got our first colony lot, and since then we have become hooked — our "colony time" has steadily increased over the years. Often, a new colony lot (esp. one that has been abandoned) can require a considerable effort to get it into shape; but, later you will almost surely be glad you became a colonists. It is such a pleasure to see the crocus and the tulip bulbs look up at the first Spring sun. And later in the Summer, to see the results of the seeds you sewed earlier — your own beautiful flowers. Then, as Fall approaches, harvest your own potatoes, onions, salad, etc. If this sounds good to you, and you like being outdoors in your own garden, then a colony is something for you.

Anita+Vigge

When we learned that our former colony was to be plowed under and replaced with houses, we decided, with sorrow in our hearts, to move to another colony. In May, 2017 we took over a vacant colony lot in Drevviken Fritidsträdgårdar. It looked terrible, filled with rubbish and weeds, but we saw some good possibilities. The preparation for this lot required more work than we anticipated with many trips to the dumping area in Högdalen. Finally, by the end of September, we had moved over all our plants, rocks, storage box, table with chairs and bench, and bird boxes. Next year (2018), we hope to reap the rewards of our efforts. And as Spring approaches, we are eager to watch the birds move into their new homes and see them take a "dip" into their newly built birdbath.

Where does the time go when we are at our lot?

Relaxing

65%

Cleaning

10%

Watering

8%

Trimming

6%

Weeding

4%

Digging